Our Hen House: Vegan & Animal Rights Movement | Stories from the Frontlines of Animal Liberation

In this entertaining episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann Sullivan and legal expert Michael Dorf dive headfirst into the bizarre world of RFK Jr.’s controversial new food pyramid and dietary guidelines. With equal parts horror and humor, they dissect how these scientifically questionable recommendations prioritize beef consumption while dismissing plant-based diets through deeply flawed analysis. The episode explores the concerning environmental implications of increased meat consumption, the contradictory nature of the guidelines themselves, and the meat industry’s desperate attempts to maintain relevance despite growing public awareness of factory farming cruelty. This episode explores: How the new upside-down food pyramid contradicts established nutrition science while promoting excessive animal product consumption The environmental consequences of increasing protein intake through animal sources, requiring land area larger than multiple states combined Why 71% of Americans oppose common factory farming practices despite continuing to consume factory-farmed products The influence of industry representatives in reshaping federal dietary guidelines against expert recommendations How these guidelines impact federal programs including school lunches, military meals, and SNAP benefits We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today.  Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this profound conversation with animal rights lawyer Wayne Hsiung, we explore the reasons for his journey into seminary studies, his wife Rose Patterson’s upcoming legal battles for rescuing beagles from MBR Acres and sheep from King Charles’s farm in the UK, and the potential watershed moment for ending animal experimentation with RFK Jr.’s recent statements as Secretary of Health and Human Services calling for its end. This episode explores: How Wayne’s wife, Rose Patterson of Animal Rising, faces potential prison time for rescuing 18 beagles from MBR Acres and three lambs from King Charles’s farm Wayne’s unexpected journey into seminary studies and how religious frameworks might strengthen the animal rights movement The promising development of RFK Jr. publicly calling for an end to animal experimentation, describing it as “useless” and profit-driven How building effective social movements requires institutional scaffolding that can sustain momentum during periods of change Wayne’s evolving theory that improving “movement intelligence” and cooperation between activists may be key to animal liberation ABOUT OUR GUEST Wayne Hsiung is an animal rights lawyer, former faculty member at Northwestern School of Law, and co-founder of The Simple Heart Initiative. He has led teams that have investigated and rescued animals from factory farms and slaughterhouses across the globe and has organized successful campaigns to ban fur in San Francisco and California. He served as lead counsel (and, sometimes, defendant) in five “right to rescue” trials in which activists were prosecuted after being charged for giving aid to sick and dying animals, garnering media attention from The New York Times. He is also a co-founder and former lead organizer of the grassroots animal rights network Direct Action Everywhere.  Wayne’s work has been covered by WIRED, ABC’s Nightline, and on The Ezra Klein Show.  He has published on the right to rescue in Harvard Law Review and climate change’s impact on animals in the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. Prior to his work as an animal advocate, Wayne practiced law at two national firms and studied law and economics at the University of Chicago, where he was an Olin Law and Economics Fellow, and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship. He is the proud parent of Oliver, who was rescued from the dog meat trade.  Follow his work at simpleheart.org. We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Contributions of any amount are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this thought-provoking episode of The Hen Report, Mariann Sullivan is joined by Cornell Law professor and animal advocate Michael Dorf to explore the complex phenomenon of “strange bedfellows” in the animal rights movement. They examine how activists navigate situations where they find themselves aligned with unexpected allies on animal issues, while potentially disagreeing on other social and political matters. This episode explores: The Trump administration’s surprising move to phase out government funding for animal testing, led by RFK Jr. How animal advocates can strategically respond when political figures they otherwise oppose champion animal causes The controversy surrounding FarmKind’s “Forget Veganuary” campaign and its problematic offsetting approach The evolution of veganism over the past two decades and its increasing mainstream recognition The challenges of coalition-building while maintaining core animal rights principles RESOURCES Doctors Group Applauds Commitment by RFK Jr. to Replacing Animal Experiments, Proposes Five Priorities for 2026 U.S. Military Ends Practice of Shooting Live Animals to Train Medics to Treat Battlefield Wounds Veganuary champion quits to run meat-eating campaign Former Veganuary champion quits to run meat-eating campaign – saying vegan dogma is ‘damaging’ to goal of reducing animal suffering  We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann Sullivan dives into the meat industry’s desperate attempts to declare veganism “dead” while simultaneously scrambling to rebrand their unsustainable practices. With her signature blend of skepticism and hope, Mariann unpacks Jessica Scott-Reid’s insightful Sentient Media article that reveals how Big Animal Ag’s obituaries for veganism conveniently ignore their own $300 billion industry’s massive lobbying power and disinformation campaigns. Meanwhile, industry publications betray their anxiety as they awkwardly redefine “sustainability” to include profits and reluctantly embrace welfare reforms they once fought tooth and nail. The episode exposes the meat industry’s transparent panic while celebrating the slow but steady progress toward a more compassionate food system. This episode explores: How the meat industry’s premature celebration of veganism’s “death” reveals their fear of the plant-based movement’s long-term potential The telling shift in industry rhetoric from “meat is necessary” to the weaker “meat can fit into a healthy diet” Ohio’s surprising new restrictions on gestation crates and what this industry concession means for animal advocacy The meat industry’s desperate attempt to co-opt “sustainability” by redefining it to include profitability  Why even the industry has to admit that the growing market share of cage-free eggs (now at 40%) signals a significant consumer shift We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today.  Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Mariann Sullivan speaks with Matthew Dominguez, US Executive Director of Compassion in World Farming, about creating meaningful change for farmed animals through strategic advocacy. Dominguez shares insights from his extensive career working on welfare reforms while building toward systemic change in our food system. From the inefficiency of feeding crops to animals to the economic and environmental impacts of factory farming, this discussion explores how different advocacy approaches can work together to create a more compassionate world for animals. Dominguez emphasizes the importance of meeting people where they are and building a broad coalition against factory farming that includes environmental, health, and animal welfare advocates. This episode explores: How Compassion in World Farming fits into the ecosystem of farmed animal advocacy organizations and their behind-the-scenes approach to creating change The economic reality behind welfare reforms like cage-free eggs and gestation crate bans, and why these changes cost far less than the industry claims Why the “Food Not Feed” campaign highlights the inefficiency of growing crops to feed to animals, with only 3-25% of calories ultimately reaching humans How welfare reforms serve as an entry point for many advocates and can lead to broader conversations about our food system The importance of building a diverse coalition against factory farming that includes environmental, health, and animal welfare perspectives ABOUT OUR GUEST Matthew Dominguez is the U.S. Executive Director at Compassion in World Farming, where he leads a team dedicated to improving the welfare of farmed animals and advancing a food system that is better for animals, people, and the planet. With more than 15 years of experience in animal welfare and food policy, he has driven major corporate commitments and public policy reforms for farmed animals and regenerative agriculture. We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Contributions of any amount are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In a bold legal challenge that could redefine animal protection law, PETA is taking on the Maine Lobster Festival for steaming 16,000 lobsters alive on public parkland. The case hinges on Maine’s unique animal cruelty statute that protects “every living sentient creature” – a definition that evolves with scientific understanding. PETA’s Director of Litigation, Asher Smith, explains their creative approach using public nuisance law and the public trust doctrine to bring this case to court despite not being a prosecuting authority. This episode explores: How Maine’s progressive animal cruelty law provides protection based on scientific evidence of sentience rather than species classification The substantial scientific consensus that lobsters can feel pain, supported by behavioral, neurological, and physiological evidence PETA’s innovative legal strategy combining public nuisance claims with the public trust doctrine to challenge the festival How international scientific authorities and other countries have already recognized decapod sentience and banned cruel cooking methods The recent victory against the University of Washington that exposed corruption in animal experimentation oversight and achieved unprecedented transparency ABOUT OUR GUEST Asher Smith is Director of Litigation at the PETA Foundation. His current cases include actions under the Endangered Species Act against roadside zoos abusively keeping protected animals, constitutional lawsuits on behalf of both animals and humans, and false advertising claims challenging the deceptive marketing of animal products as “humane.” He has previously won precedent-setting victories against multiple exhibitors featured on the Netflix show Tiger King, as well as Vital Farms and Pete and Gerry’s Organics, the seller of Nellie’s Free Range Eggs. Smith joined the PETA Foundation in 2018 after working for the law firm Paul, Weiss on matters including multibillion-dollar securities litigation and the fight for gay marriage in the deep south and at the Supreme Court. He is a graduate of Yale Law School. His family includes a cat, Princessa, and a dog, Beezus. We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. ********** You can listen to the Animal Law Podcast directly on our website (at the top of this page) or you can listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher. Also, if you like what you hear, please rate it on Apple Podcasts, and don’t forget to leave us a friendly comment! Of course, we would be thrilled if you would consider making a donation or becoming a member of our flock (especially if you’re a regular listener). Between now and December 31, every donation up to $20,000 will be TRIPLED! Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Don’t forget to also listen to the award-winning,  weekly signature OHH podcast — now in its fifteenth glorious year!

In this festive episode of The Hen Report, Jasmin and Mariann weave through holiday greetings, literary achievements, and thought-provoking discussions about animal advocacy in unexpected places. From Jasmin’s exciting book deal as a literary agent to reflections on grief, pet cloning ethics, and the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways animal rights themes are appearing in mainstream literature, this conversation showcases how animal advocacy intersects with broader cultural narratives. This episode explores: Jasmin’s work with Worldshapers The emergence of animal rights themes in literary fiction Ethical considerations around pet cloning and its relationship to grief How being vegan may require moral courage in social situations The parallels between animal rights themes in popular media and real-world advocacy challenges RESOURCES Worldshapers website The Bulwark YouTube: Tim Miller: This Isn’t Just An Elite Problem I spent $50K cloning my dead dog — here’s what it’s like having a duplicated pup  We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Between now and December 31, every donation up to $20,000 will be tripled! Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this eye-opening interview, journalist Melanie Kaplan takes us behind the closed doors of animal research facilities through the lens of her powerful book Lab Dog. After adopting Hammy, a beagle rescued from a laboratory, Kaplan embarked on a cross-country journey to investigate the secretive world of dog testing and breeding facilities. With remarkable compassion and journalistic integrity, she reveals the complex ethical questions surrounding animal experimentation while highlighting the growing movement toward alternative testing methods that don’t require animal suffering. This episode explores: How beagles became the dog breed of choice for laboratory testing due to their size, temperament, and pre-existing breeding infrastructure The psychological impact on both the animals and researchers involved in animal testing, and how compartmentalization allows this system to continue Recent breakthroughs in shutting down major dog breeding facilities like Envigo and Ridglan, and what this means for the future of animal testing The promising development of non-animal testing methods including organ chips, AI modeling, and organoids that could eventually replace animal experimentation How state laws requiring or allowing lab animal adoption only save a tiny percentage of research animals, with approximately 94% still being killed ABOUT OUR GUEST Melanie D. G. Kaplan is a longtime independent journalist whose travel and science writing has appeared in the Atlantic, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and National Parks magazine. She is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School, a 2021–2022 MIT Knight Science Journalism fellow, and a third-generation Washington, DC, native. Kaplan has lived most of her life with hounds. We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Between now and December 31, every donation up to $20,000 will be tripled! Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this heartwarming holiday edition of The Hen Report, Jasmin and Mariann blend seasonal cheer with serious animal advocacy updates. The hosts navigate between lighthearted holiday traditions and the sobering realities facing animals worldwide, demonstrating Our Hen House’s signature ability to balance urgency with accessibility. This episode explores: The crisis facing animal shelters nationwide, with adoption rates down while costs for veterinary care have skyrocketed 42% since 2019 A concerning legal development for UK animal activists following convictions at the MBR Acres beagle breeding facility rescue Vegan bodybuilder Torre Washington’s impressive qualification for Mister Olympia 2026 as a plant-based, natural competitor in his fifties The growing influence of the FAIRR Initiative, which now represents trillions in assets working toward protein diversification New resources for vegans and the vegan-curious, including Dr. Joanne Kong’s accessible guidebook “Vegan Made Easy” RESOURCES BREAKING: Five people have been found guilty today for rescuing 18 beagle puppies from MBR Acres in 2022. Vegan Athlete Torre Washington Is Going To Mr Olympia 2026 Torre Washington on Our Hen House Investors Call On All Major Food Companies To Divest From Animal Products Rosie Wardle on Our Hen House Investors Call On All Major Food Companies To Divest From Animal Products Tamerlaine Sanctuary & Preserve Vegan Made Easy book We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Between now and December 31, every donation up to $20,000 will be tripled! Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.

In this eye-opening episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann Sullivan dissects the agricultural industry’s transparent anxiety about the growing popularity of plant-based diets. From Farm Babe’s desperate defense of animal agriculture’s “sustainability” to Oklahoma’s hypocritical farmland ownership laws that conveniently exempt Chinese-owned Smithfield Foods, we witness an industry scrambling to maintain relevance as consumers increasingly recognize the environmental and ethical problems with animal agriculture. Meanwhile, avian flu makes an unwelcome return to Wisconsin dairy herds, highlighting yet another risk of our dependence on animal farming, while the industry callously discusses how to profit from “surplus calves” separated from their grieving mothers. This episode explores: How mainstream sustainability advice increasingly recommends plant-based diets, much to the ag industry’s dismay The contradictory claims about livestock’s environmental impact and the industry’s desperate “carbon sequestration” narrative The reappearance of avian flu in dairy herds and the industry’s resistance to vaccination solutions Oklahoma’s telling exception for Smithfield Foods in its ban on Chinese-owned farmland The disturbing commodification of “surplus calves” in the dairy industry and their treatment as mere profit centers We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today. Between now and December 31, every donation up to $20,000 will be tripled! Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.